Forty, Love
by VergofTowels
Summary: The lives of Gakuto and Yuushi in snapshots. Follows them in school and after, from Atobe's slumber party to the Hyotei high school reunion. A collection of ficlets. ON HOLD. Contains Yuushi/Gakuto.
1. Chapter 1

Oldness from livejournal. Another one of the drabble collections/writing exercises I was too lazy to finish. Still might be completed someday. ^^;

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

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1. Don't Look

He flattened his back against the wall, arms going protectively around his small frame. From the window the sun peered in, casting shadows onto his pale face. He clenched his teeth and a muscle worked in his jaw.

"Yuushi… Stop looking at me like that. I'm sorry." His voice was small. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. Are you mad?" Darkness shrouded his lover and Gakuto could not tell what expression shaped the boy's features.

A sigh.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm… Gakuto, come here." And his voice softened. The redhead crept carefully over, though he paused out of arm's reach. "When did he hit you?"

"Yesterday." If his voice became much softer, it would be inaudible. "It bruised." Yuushi bridged the distance himself and swept Gakuto into an embrace.

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**2. They'll Never Know**

"Won't they find out?" A pink shirt hit the floor, flopping into a corner of the darkened room.

"No." Two jackets slipped from the bed, forgotten.

"They'll hear us, surely." Why was the goddamned buckle so hard to undo?

"No, they won't." A white T-shirt joined the pink one in a heap.

"Mmm… You're not worried at all?" One pair of jeans, one pair of capris. The damned belt followed with a clunk. A giggle.

"Shh… Or they really will hear us." Black boxers had never looked so artful before, lying near the floor lamp, dim light shining.

"They'll find out." A kiss, a moan in the throat. One more pair of boxers on the carpet by the door.

"Oh, they'll never know."

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**3. I Don't Get It**  
Warning: mpreg

"I don't get it." He gaped down at the stick in his hand. "Seriously, what the f-"

"What is it?! Gakkun, what does it say?" Jiro pounded on the stall door nervously. "Is it-? Is it-?"

"Shut up! Godammit yes, okay?! Now what am I supposed to do?!"

Positive.

The word rang out unspoken through the room.

"Shit... Tell Yuushi?" Jiro glanced nervously into the mirror, his own pale face looking back without an answer.

"I can't do that. He'll, he'll- I can't do that. I want an abortion."

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**4. Found It**

"I found it!" A triumphant hand emerged from under the bed, waving the notebook in the air. The book was blue with a black binding and had their names penned on it in a lovesick scrawl. "See, I hadn't lost it. How could I ever?"

"I don't know, but you seemed to have been doing a good job of it," murmured Yuushi, amused. He reached out and took the book as Gakuto wormed his way out, covered in dust. He sneezed as Yuushi flipped to the latest blank page.

"I want to write it."

"You wrote the last one." Yuushi pulled a pen from the breast pocket of his school jacket. "Now it's my turn."

"Fine." He climbed onto the bed beside the taller boy and snuggled next to him, peering over his hands at the book. "Make sure you write the date."

"I will. Let's see. February 14th, 20--. Today is the fifth anniversary of our first date." He stopped writing for a moment. "I can still remember the loving punch you gave my kidney and the sweet way you demanded 'Go out with me'."

"Yeah, yeah. What about that one time you serenaded me outside my window? And you can't sing, just so you know." A comfortable silence reigned. "I love you."

"I love you, too." A warm arm wrapped around Gakuto's shoulders. "Let's see if we can last another year."

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**5. The Writing on the Wall**

"It says 'King Atobe is an asshole.' Oh man, this is great. Oh, oh, 'Hibiki is going out with…' No he's not! I would know." Gakuto pondered the black marker-writing. "Let's see… 'Hiyoshi…is…a…girl.' There." He capped his own marker happily. "Yuushi, do you think he'll know I wrote it?" The blunette looked up from his textbook.

"Yes. You're the only one I know with a pink sharpie and access to the boys' bathroom. Are you done?" He was tired of standing there while Gakuto slaked his thirst for graffiti.

"Almost." He looked around the room speculatively. Then his eyes lit up. "Pick me up, Yuushi!"

"What?"

"I want to write something on the ceiling." He had his marker poised again and was eyeing a corner relatively free from the names of previous vandals.

"Why?"

"You'll see. Please? Just lift me up, okay?" Sighing, Oshitari did as commanded, boosting his doubles partner up to his chosen canvas.

"What are you writing?" He tried to see past Gakuto's skinny legs but didn't get very far.

"'Yuushi and Gakuto forever.'"

"Gakkun… Can't we just-?"

"No! This is our last year at Hyotei. We need to remain. We need to make a mark. Or nobody will know…" He finished the elaborate kanji with a flourish and Yuushi lowered him soberly.

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Yep. Reviews are love!


	2. Chapter 2

**6. what now?**

The phone rang.

"If that's him _again_ I'm going to shoot myself," murmured the boy darkly. He pulled the sleek little gadget off the table and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Yeah, it's me again. Just wanted to know how you were… So. How are you?"

"Gakuto, you called five minutes ago." A cough, several coughs. "I haven't died yet. Satisfied?" He leaned back against the pillows and sighed.

"…Yes." There was a pause and he could hear something scuffing around.

"Gakuto, what are you-" The doorbell rang.

"So, that's me, too. Can I come in? It's cold out. No doubt that's why you're sick."

He hung up. But he couldn't keep the smile from tugging at his lips.

"Okaa-san, could you please get the door?"

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**7. one more inch**

The clubhouse was dark that afternoon. The sun streamed in only through the back windows, casting vibrantly bright patches of fire on the wall. Casting viciously dark shadows. Yuushi opened the door slowly.

"Gakuto?" The call was soft and blended into the gloom. "I know you're still here."

The darkness spoke: "I could have had it." Yuushi stepped in.

"I know." He came over to the bench and sat down. "I don't blame you."

"Atobe does."

"No, he doesn't." His arm went around the smaller shoulders easily.

"I only missed by an inch!" And the bite in his voice would not turn into sobs.

"I know."

Finally a small arm came around his waist. "You know everything, Yuushi."

"Maybe, but _you_ know how much I love you." The hug tightened. "Let's go home."

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**8. one more time**  
Notes: Fuhuhu~ XD

"It seems like this should be easy." Frustrated huff.

"Well, apparently it's a lot harder than you thought." Smirk.

"I've seen plenty of other people do this every day!" Outrage.

"Have you now?" Amusement, nothing but amusement.

"Yes, I have." Glaring daggers.

"Do you want me to?" How could that be anything but sincere?

"No! I'm going to do it! It will only take one more…" Fingers tighten, twist, and nothing.

Nothing.

"Gakuto, I'm fairly certain opening bottles isn't that hard." He takes it and breaks the seal with a sharp twist.

"I loosened it for you."

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**9. protection**  
Notes: Set as Yuushi is in 10th grade and Gakuto has dropped out.

Yuushi is already on the ground by the time Gakuto gets there, sprinting from around the corner with single-minded determination. The boys are still kicking him into the dirt. Gakuto launches himself at them like a little red tornado, or maybe like a wild beast. He isn't strong, but he's quick. He bites one on the arm.

Five minutes is all the time it takes for them to retreat, fear or surprise hidden behind their stupid taunts. Drop-out. Fairy. He barely listens, instead crouching beside his best friend.

Yo. And he's pulling up the taller boy and they're walking off down the street. It's tough if you're in or out, but at least they have each other.

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**10. power**  
Warning: SAP.

"This is such a stupid game, na Kabaji?"

"Usu."

"Oh, shut it, Atobe. You're supposed to play 'Truth or Dare' at sleepovers." Gakuto waved away his captain's doubts impatiently. "Anyway, it's your turn." The silver-haired prima-donna leaned over and spun the racket they were using as a selecting device.

"So stupid… All right. Oshitari, truth or dare?" He settled back with a bored expression on his face. Yuushi lifted an eyebrow thoughtfully.

"Dare." Atobe waited for the excited twittering (yes, from his team of _boys_) to quiet before pointing an imperious finger.

"Ore-sama dares you to kiss Mukahi. On the mouth." Silence. Then the whole room erupted into chaos.

"W-what?! Don't I get a say in this?"

"Is that the best you could come up with?"

"_Yawn._ Nee, Keigo, is it time for dinner yet?"

"Gekokujyou!"

And soon pillows were flying and nobody knew what was going on and Jiro was tugging them all away down to the kitchen for a midnight snack because he'd slept through the feast earlier. Silence and feathers settled, and only two remained.

"Gakuto."

"Y-yes?" He cast a sideways glance at his partner. "What?"

"May I keep my dare? It simply kills me to back down from anything." And Yuushi was way, way too close now, and really, was it warm in here?

"Um…"

"Please?"

He didn't have the power to refuse.

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Review, please!


	3. Chapter 3

**11. pleasure**

When people talked about pleasure, at least in Gakuto's experience, they came up with blushing descriptions of tangled limbs and kisses, or grinning (_smirking_) tales of soft folds and wet um, you knows and heat and stars and the fucking morning after.

Nakedness usually featured strongly in these retellings.

But as he sat together with Yuushi on the brick wall, both looking out at the golden sand and the golden sun and even the golden sky, the word that graced his mind was _pleasure._

He thought those other people were missing out.

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**12. waiting**

Waiting was a good word to describe what he was doing. But, now that he thought about it, maybe it wasn't quite strong enough. Perhaps, he thought, he was expecting? No, eagerly awaiting… That was too close to waiting.

Then he was anticipating. Yes, that was what he was doing.

…No, it wasn't. He was desiring. He was madly desiring. He was _ruthlessly and madly and passionately and furiously desiring_ Yuushi's proposal.

He couldn't think of any more adjectives. He closed the diary. And smiled.

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**13. growing**

Gakuto was short. But he was growing. Yuushi could see the difference in photographs of just a year ago: Gakuto was definitely growing taller. Inch by inch he stretched himself upward, like a little flower. He would never be considered _tall_, of course, but he was getting somewhere.

Yuushi was less concerned with Gakuto's physical changes than with his emotional ones. When he'd first met the boy there was always a growling undertone to his personality, the sort of growl that said "I'll bite you before you can bite me." It had worried him.

"Yuuuu~shi… Why are you staring at meeeee? Come on, I can't play tennis by myself!"

Now the only biting Gakuto did turned into kissing.

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**14. he's gone**

"Life pretty much sucks right now."

"_Yaa~wn…_ What makes you say that?" Jiro blinked up at him.

"Well, I don't know, the fact that my partner is missing, duh!"

"He still calls, right?"

"…"

"And writes." He hugged his stuffed sheep. "At least he does that."

"But he's _not here…_" Gakuto whined.

"Atobe doesn't call or write. I think he's forgotten Japanese." Sigh.

"Let me see your phone." _Click, click._ "You have thirty-seven missed calls and fifty missed texts from Atobe."

"…I do?"

"Do you even charge this thing?" Silence. "That's what I thought."

Jiro took the phone back.

"Don't worry, college doesn't last forever. Yuushi'll be back soon."

"…I hope so."

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**15. take me**

"Stake me out to the ball game…"

"Gakuto-"

"Um…no. Slake me out to the-"

"_Gakuto-_"

"Break me out to the crowd…"

"GAKUTO-!"

"WHAT?"

"It's '_take me_ out to the ball game.'"

"Take me?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Yuushi, what are you-?! Ah! No, stop… Mm…"

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If I keep telling you to, you might do it, right? Review! Please.


	4. Chapter 4

This is the last part I have written. It'll be a while until I write any more, if I ever do...

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16. leave me

Gakuto sat staring out the window. It was a good view, all those tall Tokyo buildings. He lifted one leg over the arm of the chair and then slowly, elegantly, crossed the other one over it. He almost started when the door opened, but managed to keep his 'sultry' face on.

"Hello, dahling."

Yuushi paused, dumbstruck. Why was Gakuto in his office? Why was Gakuto in his _chair?_

For that matter, _why was Gakuto in a dress?_

It shouldn't have been a surprise that 'um' was the best he could manage. His secretary paused behind him in the door and raised a delicate, drawn-in eyebrow. Gakuto waved a hand at her dismissively.

"Leave me, woman. We have grave matters of importance to discuss." He uncrossed his legs and peeked up at Yuushi from under his hair.

"Uh, yes. Mira-san, if you would, uh, kindly, leave us."

The door shut firmly as she turned and walked away.

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**17. accept it**  
Notes: I know someone whom this has happened to.

"Gakuto, where's my car?" Yuushi stood in the driveway, looking into the car port and checking his watch and not seeing his Impala.

"Er, I donated it to charity?" Gakuto stood in the doorway, eating his cereal and brushing his hair and not looking at Yuushi.

"You donated it to charity."

"Yeah."

Yuushi sighed.

"Gakuto, where's your car?"

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**18. cold**

Outside the rain came down in sheets and washed away the day. The gray sky seemed made of steel, and clouds chased each other across the expanse of metal like mice fleeing a knife.

He lay inside on the floor, looking up at the white ceiling. Shadows played across his face because he'd forgotten to turn on the light. It was sterile and cold.

A card lay discarded on the carpet, bleached in the fading light. _We are sorry for your loss._ Silver text in the silver light. It played over and over in his mind.

_We are sorry for you loss._

Sorry for your loss.

For your loss.

Loss.

One small hand clutched a photo of them, their smiling faces looking out into the soft wool of his sweater. The other held a lock of blue hair, curling softly around the ribbon that bound it.

Gakuto peered up into the gloom and thought what do I do now?

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**19. when I was young**

His parents would not buy him a rubber ball. Not the good kind of red rubber ball that you used for kickball and four square. But he wanted one.

They told him to practice his gymnastics and took him to the place with the mats every day so he could tumble and leap and roll. And jump. He loved to jump.

He wanted to jump as high as a red rubber ball.

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**20. I feel old**  
Notes: If Hyotei doesn't include high school, let's pretend that it does. :O Gakkun R high school dropout.

It seemed that anything that had to do with Atobe was destined to be huge and dramatic. The white-draped tables, the blue-draped columns, the silver confetti… Why the confetti?

People milled around talking and laughing and shaking hands, marveling at advances, commiserating over failures. Atobe, Mr. Most-Likely-To-Succeed, was shooing away a new crowd of admirers every few minutes and blathering into a different cell phone every time. His work kept him busy, but at least he was physically here.

Kabaji stood beside him, the same but for a concealed handgun. They figured it would happen.

Jiro had greeted them all cheerfully enough, but was now slumbering peacefully under the drinks table, drunk or narcoleptic. A group of women chattered on without him of his new line of summer clothes, due in April.

Shishido, Most-Likely-To-Be-Arrested, and Choutaro, Most-Musical, had slipped off somewhere. Didn't they spend enough time together at home? A music stand stood in the corner with Choutaro's books strewn below. Had he volunteered or been roped into playing the night's entertainment?

Hiyoshi stood by the window, carrying on quietly with an old friend.

"Ne, Yuushi~ Am I allowed to be here?" Gakuto tugged nervously at his neck, half-strangled, or so he believed, by a neat red tie. He'd left his jacket in the car, well nothing for it. "This is _your_ high school reunion."

"You went to Hyotei, too," he gently admonished, smoothing down his dark hair. "Besides, wives are allowed to attend."

"Uh-huh."

They stepped into the room together, a little older, a little wiser perhaps. They were greeted with cheers. No one had been forgotten.

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Review, please? :D


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